SCMBDC's Minority Business Opportunity Day to Be Held Feb. 23 in Industry Hills; Nearly 1,000 Corporate Representatives, Minority Businesses Expected to Attend; Seminars to Focus on Growth Strategies, Access to Capital and Forming Alliances.

LOS ANGELES -- Southern California Minority Business Development Council's 37th annual Minority Business Opportunity Day (MBOD) -- one of the largest events of its kind in the western United States -- will be held on February 23 at the Pacific Palms Conference Resort, One Industry Hills Parkway in Industry Hills.

The event, which will be held from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., offers minority businesses access to corporate representatives, seminars and workshops that address current business challenges, networking opportunities at the business opportunity exhibit fair, and more.

The registration fee is $100 for SCMBDC-certified minority businesses and includes a continental breakfast, a buffet lunch and early evening reception. The cost for non-certified suppliers is $125.

Advance or onsite registration is available. To register, download the MBOD 2006 registration form at www.scmbdc.org.

Keynote Speaker/Panels
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   Speakers and panelists at MBOD include:

    --  Taco Bell Corp.'s President and Chief Concept Officer Emil J.
        Brolick, who will give the keynote address on "Growth
        Strategies" from 10:25 to 11:30 a.m. With nearly 30 years of
        product development, marketing and business planning
        experience, Brolick will share dynamic concepts and insight to
        entrepreneurs seeking proven growth strategies.

    --  Four highly respected individuals from premiere venture
        capital companies with a portfolio of investments in
        minority-owned businesses. Panelists, who will speak on
        "Access to Capital" from 9 to 10:20 a.m., include:

        -   David Perez, managing director, Palladium Equity Partners,
            New York, one of the largest private equity firms with
            investments totaling $1 billion in equity. The firm has
            capitalized on the growing U.S. Hispanic market.

        -   Jeri J. Harman, managing director, Allied Capital, Los
            Angeles, a private equity investor listed on the New York
            Stock Exchange with a portfolio of debt, equity and over
            $3 billion in assets.

        -   Brendon Kim, general partner, Altos Ventures, San
            Francisco, a leader in first stage technology venture
            capital. The firm raised over $1 billion following an
            initial Altos investment.

        -   Brian Argrett, president, Fulcrum Capital Group, Los
            Angeles, a private equity investment manager with three
            separate private equity capital pools focused on minority
            businesses.

        Facilitated by Michael Synn, director, Business Consortium
        Fund, the panel will share insights into what they look for
        when investing in minority-owned companies, the process to
        submit a business plan, steps minority businesses can take to
        make themselves more attractive to investors, and more.

    --  LeRoy Coleman, group vice president for xpedx for the
        California market, will speak on "Teaming and Strategic
        Alliances" from 8:15 to 9 a.m. With over 20 years of
        increasing responsibilities at international paper company
        xpedx, Coleman brings a wealth of supply chain management and
        leveraging supplier models to increase success. Xpedx is a
        market leader in the distribution of printing paper,
        packaging, facility and graphic imaging supplies and
        equipment.

Business Opportunity Exhibit Fair

More than 400 corporate representatives, purchasing and procurement staff members are expected to be on hand to meet with minority suppliers face-to-face and provide information on how to get "in the door" with their companies. For minority businesses, it's also an opportunity to showcase or exhibit products and services.

Corporate sponsors and exhibitors to date include: American Honda Motor Co., Inc.; BP; Northrop Grumman Corporation; Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.; Nissan North America; Southern California Edison; Southern California Gas Company; Hilton Hotels Corporation; Time Warner; American Airlines; Comcast Cable; ConocoPhillips; IBM Corporation; Los Angeles Department of Water & Power; Macy's West; Raytheon Company; The Boeing Company; U.S. Bank; United Parcel Service; Yum Brands; Wal-Mart; Los Angeles World Airports; Port of Long Beach; Coca-Cola Enterprises, Inc.; GSD&M; Metropolitan Water District; Nestle; Nike; Target Corporation; The Walt Disney Company; Qwest Communications; Southwest Gas Corporation, and xpedx.

Minority business exhibitors include: A Plus International, Inc.; Aldelano Packaging Corp.; Evigna; Fortis Networks, Inc.; Future Commodities Int'l Inc.; PromoShop, Inc.; Software House International, and SOS Global Express, Inc.

The exhibit fair will be open from 11:50 a.m. to 4 p.m. For exhibitor information or sponsorship opportunities, contact Shawn Smith, [phone], or [e-mail].

Southern California Minority Business Development Council, the region's leading minority business advocacy group, serves more than 1,000 minority business enterprises and 200 corporate members throughout 13 counties. Founded in 1975 and headquartered in Los Angeles with chapters in Orange County and the Central Valley, it is one of 40 regional councils in the National Minority Supplier Development Council. For information about SCMBDC, visit www.scmbdc.org or call [phone].